Built-up releasable clutch mechanism.



ill, BAUM if, E. INCE.

auml-UP Rua/mms CLUCH MECHANISM,

'PLICAYIM HLED MAY 4. 1914 ('rEOiR'Grll D. BAILEY AND FRANK IE. RICE, 0FDETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS T0 GEARIJESS DIFFERENTIAL C0., ACORPORATICN 0F MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July t, 1916.

Application filed May 4, 1914. Serial N0. 836,072.

To o whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE D. BAiLnY and FRANKE. RICE, citizens of the United States, and 'residents of the city ofDetroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new .and useful Improvements in Builtlollp Releasable ClutchMechanisms; and We do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification. rlhis invention relates to thatclass of devices set forth in the (3o-pending application Jfor patent ofGeorge D. Bailey for releasing clutches, filed July. 27, 1912, SerialNo. 711.801, This mechanism, when associated with an axle of a vehiclepermits the drive to be differentially transmitted to the respectivewheels, and yet obviatesthe defects found in an ordinary bevel geardifferential.

It is a well known fact that serious acci dents occur by the skidding ofmotor cars, and this is largely due to the fact that with the bevel geardilerentials now in use on practically all types of motor cars, there isa tendency for the drive to be imparted to the wheel to which the leastresistance of ro- 'tation is offered. Thus in use upon a slipperypavement or upon a turn, one ofthe wheels receives practically all thepower, sometimes even a reverserotation of the other wheel taking place,-thus causing the dangerous skidding to occur.

In this invention the drive is always imparted to the wheel whichrotates the slowest where a difference in speed exists, or to that wheelto which the most resistance to rotation is olered.

This invention has for one of its objects the ci'instruction'of a devicewherein the various parts are huilt up of 'stampings recessed to fornipockets or guides to receive locking rollers therein. It is obvious thatthe .power transmitted by' the device is dependent upon theloadit'cansafely carry, a ud of course the load is dependent upon the size or thearea subjected to the pressures lietwceiilthe driving and the drivenparts. liv this invention it is possible to Vbuild up the doviceto anysize desired whereby areas of sullicient size are provided for the partswhich transmit the drive to the driven elements.

vlt is also an object of this invention to consti-uct a lreleasableclutch mechanism wherein the cam, pawl carrying elements are formedofstampings which may be built up to any required thickness and likewisetheratchet means with which said mechanisins coact through the rollersmay be simi-a a releasing'olutcli mechanism which may be Y built up tothe required size to carry the load or transmit the power for the'particm lar purpose for which they are to be used from standardstampings interchangeable with one another.

It is finally an object of this invention to provide an improvedconstruction for releas-y able clutches, permitting a clutch to be builtup `from stock stampings to suit any purpose for which it is designed.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated inthe drawings andhereinaftermore fully described.

' In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top view partly in section andpartly-in elevation of the rear driving axle oi' a motor car. 'Fig 2 isan inner face view of one of thev clutch mechanisms taken-on line 2-2 ofFig.y 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is afront elevation'of the ydetached ratchet ring elements of the device. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a Jfrontelevation'of the recessed cam or roller carrying element detached fromthe device. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the assembled cam orroller-carrying elements,shown in Fig.r 2,`detached 'from-the device. f

'As shown in the drawings z' Thereference numeral 1, indicates as aWhole a stationary housing in which a one piece axle'Q, is jourlOf'naled upon suitable roller bearings 3, disposed at the ends and near themiddle thereof. A large bevel' gear 1, is keyed upon said axle 2, and isdriven from a small bevel pinion 5, meshing therewith and secured uponthe end ofl a driving shaft 6, of the automobile. The axle, near itsends, is squared, and fitted rigidly thereon are the sectional cani orroller carrying members built up of stamped plates 7 and 8,respectively, with a parting or separating plate 9, disposedtherebetween. r[he extreme outer ends of the axle 2, are roundgagenient. However. owing t o the improved ,shape of the recesses 17thatis with the two as denoted by the reference numeral 10, and journaledthereon are wheels 11, only a part of which is illustrated.

Rigidly secured to the wheels by means of bolts 12, are circumferentialratchet members or rings which fit concentrically around said cani orroller carrying-elements, and these likewise are built up of alplurality of stamped sections denoted respectively by the referencenumerals 13 and 14, with the teeth of the respective sections directedin opposite directions. A brake drum 15, is held by means of said bolts12, against the inner surface of the ratchet members, and ext-eiidsdownwardly and is journaled upon the inner rounded portion of the axle2, so that the cam or roller cairying members 7 and 8, of the clutchmechanism are confined between said brake drum 15, and a face plate 16,secured on the inner surface of the wheel.

Roller carrying recesses17 are stamped in each of the sections 7 and 8,and when the cam or roller carrying member is built up, that is withsaid plates connected to one another by means of bolts 1S, the slots inthe plate 7, are directed oppositely to those in the plate S, andsimilarly the ratchet teeth formed on the interior of the annular mein*bers 13, 'are directed in opposite directions to those of the'members14. Hardened steel cylindrical rollers 19, are placed in the recesses17, and are of a length equal to the thickness of the respectiveassembled plates 7 or 8. An internal expanding brake 20, is mountedwithin each of said brake drums 15, on suitable extensions from the axlehousing, and actuating levers 21, are provided for the purpose ofoperating the same.

The operation is as follows: lVhen the axle is rotating in a directionto rotate the roller carrying or cam elements in the forward directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, the lowermost of the rollers 19,travels outwardlv in its slot and into engagement with one of the teethof the ratchet ring 14, thus driving the ratchet ring and consequentlythe wheel therewith. lt is obvious that in the event of a differentialmovement taking place between the rear wheels ofthe vehicle, forinstance, one wheel travels faster than the other, as in making a turn`that the ratchet ring may readily rotate away from its respective camelement and roller through rollers contained in the. other cam elementformed by the plates 7, are retained in the inner ends of theirrecesses, owing to the fact that the recesses aredirected in theopposite direction, so that centrifugal force and gravity do not throwthe rollers into' driving enwall portions 22 and 23,; sublstantially ,atright angles to one another and the continuation thereof leadingoutwardly to the pe-y ripliery of the roller carrying members, alsosubstantially at right.y angles to the wall 23, there is no tendency forthe rollers for a reveise drive moving outwardly to the end of.

their recesses, even at the highest speeds.

`We have found by experiment in prior constructions that when thereverse driving members are disposed nearest the axle ends,

that is. outside of the forward driving niembers, there is a -strongtendency for the rollers ot the reverse driving members to'he moved intolocking engagement when the outer wheel on a turn overruns the axle. Thereason for this is that the rollers are forced laterally against theconfining plate on the wheel, due to the centrifugal force brought intoexistence by therturning of the wheel on a cui've, and consequentlytheconning plate, which Ais rotating yfaster than the roller carryingmember, rolls the rollers outwardly in their slots. In the presentinvention we have obviatedthis difficulty by,

disposing the forward'driving members outside of the reverse drivingmembers so that the reverse driving rollers of the outer wheel which ismaking a turn. bear at their ends against the intermediate plate which,of course, always moves at the same speed as the roller carryingmembers. This diiiculty does not come. into play on the inner wheelon aturn` owing to the fact that the inner wheel is the driving wheel, andconsequently the particular innercontining plate for the reversedrivingl rollers is ,moving at the same speed as the roller carryingmember. f

lV are aware that various details of construction may be varied througha'lwide range without departing from the principles of this invention.and we herefore do not purpose limiting ythe pa ent granted otherwisethan necessitated by he prior art.

'e claim as our invention:

1. ln a releasing clutch ineghanisni roller' carrying cam membersConni/rising Sets of opposncly directed stamped recessed' plates boltedtogether. a separating plate ,between the respective sets of oppositelydirected recessed plates, and ratchet"menibersv formed t'o a wheel of avehicle. y

f2. In a device ofthe class described recessed roller carrying membersbuilt up'of stamped plates, rollers in the recesses there.

of of'a length equal to the respectivejdepths of the recesses determinedbythe -numberof plates bolted to one another, a separating' plateassembled therewith withthe recesses plates assembled, and ratchet ringsdisposed around said roller carrying members comprising a plurality ofstampedv plates affordingvteeth to coact with said rollers to re` ceivea drive from said roller carrying members through said rollers.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with sectionalratchet rings, 'of sectional built up roller carrying members androllers disposed therein.

4. The. combination with forward and 're-j' in said stamped plates oneach'side thereof directed oppositely, and annular ratchet membershaving two rows of teeth, one row of a plurality of plates boltedtogether and directed oppositely to the other to coactwith the'respective separated portions of the cam element to receive or transmita drive therebetween.

6. In a 'device of the class Vdescribed lanif nated roller carryingmembers having'-sets of recesses therein faced in opposite directions toreceive rollers, each of said recesses com rising a plurality ofpassages at right ang es to V one another, and a projection forming theWalls of certain of said passages and a pocket to retain a rollertherein.

7. In a device of the class described sectional built-up roller.carrying elements for .forward and reverse drive, each of said elementshaving a seriesof oppositely directed recesses therein, sectional,built-up ratchet rmgs for co-action with' said elements,- and.cylindrical rollers carried by said elements in the recesses therein topermitinte'rlocking of said rings with said elements to effeet a drivetherebetween. v f p Inftestimony'whereof we have hereunto subscribed ournames in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE D. BAILEY. FRANK E. RicE.

'Witnesses CHARLEs W. HILLS, 'Jr- FRANK K. HUDsoN.

